Daily Tip: How to setup Emoji keyboard shortcuts in iOS 5

Curious about how to make it easier to insert Emoji icons into a text message, email or iMessage? Switching between the normal keyboard and the Emoji keyboard, navigating to the emoticon you’re looking for, then switching back to the normal keyboard to resume typing can be tiresome. Luckily, you can use Emoji much more efficiently thanks to keyboard shortcuts in iOS 5.

Before getting started, you’ll have to enable the Emoji keyboard from within the Settings app.

Tap the Settings app on your Home screen

Tap General settings

Scroll down and tap Keyboard

Next, tap International Keyboards

Tap Add New Keyboard

Now, just scroll down a bit until you see the option for Emoji and tap it

At this point, your keyboard setup will allow you to switch over to the Emoji keyboard by tapping the small globe next to the 123 button.

All you have to do next is setup your own custom keyboard shortcuts for emoticons now that you have the Emoji keyboard enabled.

Tap the Settings app on your Home screen

Tap General settings

Scroll down and tap Keyboard

At the very bottom of the Keyboard settings pane, tap Shortcuts

Tap the ‘+‘ button in the upper right-hand corner

In the Phrase field, call up the Emoji keyboard (see above for instructions) and select your desired emoticon

Input the specific shortcut you’d like to use for the corresponding emoticon

That’s it! This tip saves boatloads of time when trying to input Emoji and it’s a total no-brainer with the new keyboard shortcut feature in iOS 5.

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